Downtown Birmingham — Birmingham (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Following the celebrations of Juneteenth, three local non-profit organizations—Woodlawn United, Prosper and Ignite Alabama—have announced their plans to help bring high-quality internet access to every resident in Birmingham.

Read on to learn more about these organizations and how they plan to do it.

Woodlawn United, Prosper and Ignite Alabama are teaming up

In today’s day and age, the Internet is more than a luxury—it’s a necessity. Unfortunately, access to high-quality internet is not a given in The Magic City.

In 2023, local nonprofits Woodlawn United, Prosper and Ignite Alabama committed to bridging the “digital divide” throughout Birmingham by highlighting the critical needs that reliable internet access can provide, including:

Education
Healthcare
Economic development
Employment
Social connection
And more

“At Woodlawn United, we believe that access to high-quality internet is a fundamental right in today’s society. It is essential for education, healthcare, economic development, and social connection.

Our commitment to bridging the digital divide is not just about technology—it’s about ensuring that every resident of our city has the opportunity to thrive. We are excited to take this next step and work with our partners to make this vision a reality.”
Mashonda S. Taylor, CEO, Woodlawn United

Now, the partnership between Woodlawn United, Prosper and Ignite Alabama are launching an initiative to bring high-quality internet access to underserved and marginalized communities in Birmingham.

Expanding access to high-quality Internet in Birmingham

Since 2023, Woodlawn United has worked to understand the needs of community members and how to best address them.

Woodlawn United is officially accepting Requests for Proposals (RFPs), which they will use to identify areas of the city where they can provide access to high-quality internet.

“Prosper is thrilled to partner with Ignite Alabama and Woodlawn United to move the ball forward to close the digital divide for the city of Birmingham.”
J. W. Carpenter, President, Prosper

To learn more and to submit an RFP, visit www.woodlawnunited.org or email connectbham@woodlawnunited.org.